Fire-alarm.



J. B. w, FOGAL, A. M. CRIGHTON & A. d. MOWRY.

' FIRE-ALARM;

APPLICATION TILED FEB-18, 1909.

972,840, Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

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JOHN E. W. FOGAL, ARTHUR M. CRICI-ITON, AND ARCHIE C. MOWRY, OF QUINCY, ILLI- NOIS, ASSIGNORS TO QUINCY ELEVATOR GATE COMPANY, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 18, 1908.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 78,618.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OI-IN E. W. FOGAL, ARTHUR M. CRIoH'roN, and ARCHIE C. Mownr, citizens of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Fire-Alarm, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in fire alarm systems and is designed to provide an alarm system of the closed circuit type made active on the rupture of a closed electric circuit to give a local alarm and also an alarm at a central station. Furthermore provision is made for producing a distinctive trouble alarm which will indicate that a break inthe circuit has occurred which break is not due to the presence of dangerous conditions such as would occur in the case of a fire.

In accordance with the present imention one or more responsive elements constructed to operate at a predetermined degree oflieat and which may therefore be called thermo static elements are located in the compartment, building or district to be protected and these thermostatic elements are designed to maintain an electric circuit closed which electric circuit extends to a central station or distant point where a suitable alarm may be established and at such distant point the source of charging current may also be located.

At the local station, that is at the point to be protected is located a bell or other suitable alarm of sufliciently obtrusive character which bell may be of the single stroke or like type and at the same local point may be located a signal box similar to those used in municipal fire alarm systems.

At the central or alarm station there is located a suit-able indicator and a distinctive alarm mechanism and also a recording mechanism. At the same central station there is located a battery or other suitable source of current capable of standing up under closed circuit and this battery is utilized to charge a relay also operating under normally closed circuit, the whole apparatus being arranged to give audible and visible alarm indications and to make a record of the same whenever a thermostatic element becomes active.

The invention will be best understoool from a consideration of the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings,

Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of a tire alarm system embodying the present invention, the diagram showing one local station and a central or receiving station. Fig. 2 is a face View with the cover removed of a signal box modified in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 4 is a view illustrating one of the thermostatic elements. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a circuit breaking structure embodied in the signal box shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. l a local station A and a central station B. The local station A may be taken as indicative of any number of stations and only one is shown since this will be suflic-ient for an understanding of thepresent invention. At each local station there are located thermostatic elements 1 and where more than one such thern'iostatic element is used the several thermostatic elements are arranged in series in the circuit, the line wire being indicated at 2. In Fig. l a number of elements 1 are indicated and they are all shown as included in series in the line 2. One end of the line 2 is carried to ground as indicated at 3 and in this conductor is included a switch or key 4: for testing purposes. The other side of the conductor 2 is carried to a bell 5 or other signal means, a single stroke bell being the preferred form of signal means, but this of course does not preclude the use of other signal means if so desired. The same side of the conductor 2 also includes a call or signal box 6 and the conductor 2 may then be connected to an external line 7 of any suitable length leading to the central or signal station B. The receiving station B may be common to any suitable number of local stations A.

A thermostatic element 1 is illustrated in Fig. 4 where it will be seen that it may comprise a suitable base 9 of some insulating material and preferably a refractory insulating material such as slate, or marble, or porcelain. This base 9 carries two spaced binding posts 10, 11 shown in the drawings as simple bolts, but which of course may be of any form or design desired. Secured to the base 9 by the binding post 10 is a strip 12 of elastic metal bent around one end of the base 9 and extending to near the I other end of the same along one face thereof but spaced therefrom. At the other end of the base and secured thereto by the binding post 11 is a U-shaped clip or bracket 13- tendency of the tongue 12 is to approach the binding post 11 and make contact therewith where it projects through the clip 13 but this is prevented by soldering or cementing the free end of the tongue 12 to the free leg of the clip 13 by an easily fusible metal so that the tongue 12 is held to the free leg of the clip 13 against its normal spring tendency. Projecting from the corresponding face of the base 9 is a short piece 14 of easily fusible metal which is in the path of the free end of the tongue 12 so as to hold it from moving .into contact with the binding post 11 when it escapes from engagement with the free leg of the clip 13 until there be sufficient heat to cause the fusion of the piece 14 thereby releasing the tongue 12 to its normal tendency. The conductor 2 is broken wherever it is desired to introduce a thermostatic element 1 and under normal conditions the continuity of the conductor 2 is maintained through say the binding post 10 thence by the spring tongue 12 to the clip 13 through the cementing fusible material and thence by the binding post 11 to the next extension of the conductor 2. So long as the fusible supporting material which is indicated at 15 in Fig. 4, holds the tongue 12 joined to the clip 13 the circuit through the conductor 2 is intact.

If the thermostatic element 1 be subjected to sufficient heat to melt the fusible cementing material 15 and the piece or plug 14 then the elasticity of the tongue. 12 will cause it to move into contact with the binding post 11. It therefore transpires that in case of a fire or the development of sufficient heat to melt the fusible material or to so soften the same that itno longer will resist the spring tendency of the tongue 12 then there is a momentary break in the circuit. As will hereinafter appear this momentary rupturing of the circuit is ample to cause the establishment of a train of operations at the central station sufiicient to give an alarm to indicate from whence the alarm proceeds and to make a record of the fact. There are also established certain conditions causing the sounding of the continuous alarm at the local station. Should however through accidental or other causes the cementing material fail to hold the tongue 12 to the clip 13 then in the absence of such conditions as would cause the melting of the stud or pin 14 the circuit through the conductor 2 is maintained in the open condition and this causes the establishment of a signal different than the fire alarm signal which may be termed a trouble signal and will indicate to an attendant that there is a defect in the line requiring attention.

The call or signal sending box 6 may in its more general construction be similar to the call boxes commonly used in fire alarm systems. However such call box has been modified in accordance with the present invention and as so modified is shown in de tail in Figs. 2 and 3 with a port-ion shown separately in Fig. 5. Upon the base of the call box there is mounted a frame 16 of brass or other suitable metal and in this frame there is journaled ashaft 17 which may be rotated by a crank arm 18 provided with a manipulating handle 19. This shaft controls a spring which in turn is connected to a gear wheel 20 so that when the crank arm is moved in one direction it will put the spring under tension and thereby tend to move the gear wheel in the opposite direction when the crank arm is released. This is the structure commonly used in connection wit-h call boxes and the spring is therefore not indicated in the drawings. The gear wheel 20 controls a notched wheel or disk 21 in the manner common to the fire alarm call boxes the said disk 21 having notches 22 arranged in accordance with some predetermined order to send impulses to line in accordance with the chosen number of the stations. The gear wheel 20 also controls a ratchet wheel 23 such as is commonly employed in call boxes for controlling the speed of movement of the gear wheel 20 under the impulse of the spring after being put under tension by the crank arm 18, the said ratchet wheel being usually retarded in its movement by a suitable anchor escapement. In the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 the anchor escapement is replaced by a toothed arm or pawl 24 under the control of an armature 25 in turn controlled by an electro-magnet 26 mounted upon the base of the call box structure 6. V

Mounted upon the frame 16 on an insulat-- ing block 27 is a spring tongue 28 having its free end normally on the periphery of a disk 21 but capable of dropping into the spaces between the teeth formed on the periphery of said disk.

Mounted on the shaft '17 is an arm 29 projecting radially therefrom and participating in the movement of the said shaft under the action of the crank arm 18. In the path of the arm 29 is a spring finger 30 carried by a post 31 rising from the base plate 16 and in electrical connection therewith. The base member of the call box may be of insulating material, or if not the parts carried thereby should. be insulated therefrom. Assuming that the base member of the call box is of insulating material then there is secured thereto at a short distance from the base plate 16 a block 32 of brass or other conducting material secured to the base by a screw 33 extending through to the other side of the base. This block 32 carries an adjustable stop screw 34 provided with a lock nut 35. The screw 34 is in the path of the spring finger 30 and under normal conditions the tinger 30 is held away from the screw 34 by the engagement therewith of the arm 29 on the shaft 17, but when the arm 29 moves away from the spring finger 30 the normal tend ency of the latter will carry it into contact with the adjacent end of the screw 34. This last named position is shown in full lines in Fig. 5 while the position assumed by the spring finger 30 when engaged by the arm 29 is indicated in dotted lines in the same figure.

The base of the call box is provided with binding posts 36 and 37 and these binding posts receive the two ends of the conductor 2 the continuity of which is broken at this point for the purpose of introducing the call box. The binding post 36 is connected by a short conductor 38 with the brush 28, the conductor 38 being suitably insulated from any other metallic parts of the call box mechanism. The binding post 37 is connected by a conductor 39 with one side of the magnet 26 and also the conductor 39 is connected by a branch conductor 40 with the screw 33 so as to be in electrical connection with the block 32 and stop screw 34. The other side of the magnet 26 is connected by a conductor 41 with the base plate 16 of post 31, the two last named parts being in electrical connection.

Then the crank arm 18 is moved in a direction to set the spring of the call box under tension, this movement being clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, then the arm 29 is brought into engagement with the spring finger 30 and the latter is moved out of contact with the screw 34. Under these conditions the brush 28 is bearing upon the periphery of the disk 21. Under these circumstances the circuit through the call box may be traced from, say, the binding post 36 by wire 38 to the brush 28, thence by disk 21 and the metal parts of the apparatus to the wire 41 and thence to the coil 26. Leaving the magnet 26 the circuit may be traced by the conductor 39 to the binding post 37. As-

suming that current is flowing through the conductor 2 it will be observed that the circuit passes through the magnet 26 and the latter is energized thus attracting the armature 25 and holding the tooth 24 between the teeth of the ratchet wheel 23. This holds the call box against movement under the action of the wound up spring. Let it further be supposed that for any reason the continuity of the conductor 2 is broken even for a very short period of time. Under these conditions the magnet 26 will be deenergized and the pawl or tooth 24 being no longer maintained between the teeth of the ratchet wheel 23 the latter will begin to rotate in the manner usual with call boxes of this type. As soon as the parts begin to move the arm 29 participates in this movement in a direction away from the spring finger 30 and the latter is permitted to move into contact with the screw 34 thus establishing a circuit from the wire 38 to the brush 28 thence by the disk 21 and frame 16 to the spring finger 30 and block 32, by way of the 75 conductor 40 to the conductor 39 and thence to the binding post 37, thus establishing a low resistance shunt around the magnet 26 so that the latter is not sufliciently energized to attract the armature As the disk 21 rotates the brush 28 will fall into the notches 22 in succession and the continuity of the circuit through the conductor 2 outside of the call box having in the meantime been established as will hereinafter appear, a series of impulses are sent to line corresponding to the number and disposition of the notches 22 thus transmitting a predetermined signal agreeable to the number and arrangement of the notches 22. This making and breaking of the circuit has no eifect upon the magnet 26 since the latter is shunted through the spring finger 30 and screw 34. A11 arm 42 on the shaft or spindle 17 and a stop pin 43 on the disk 21 will arrest the movement of the call box mechanism when the disk 21 has made three complete revolutions, this being a common form of stop device for instruments of this character.

At the central station B there is located an annunciator 44, a single stroke bell 45, a registering mechanism 46 by means of which the transmitted signals are registered upon a band or tape of paper, a relay 47 and a battery or other suitable source of 105 current indicated at 48. The line wire 7 enters the central station and is carried directly to the bell and in this line wire there is included a key or switch 49 for testing purposes. At the central station there 110 is another conductor 50 connected to the side of the bell 45 remote from that to which the line conductor 7 is connected and this conductor 50 leads to one side of the magnet 51 of the relay 47. The other side of this 115 magnet is connected by a conductor 52 to another conductor 53 leading to one side of the battery 48. The other side of the battery 48 is connected to ground as indicated at and is also connected by a conductor 120 to one side of the annunciator 44. The other side of the annunciator 44 is connected by a conductor 56 to a conducting arm 57 in the path of one end of an armature lever 58 carrying an armature in operative rela- 125 tion to the magnet 51. The conductor is connected by a branch conductor 59 to one side of the registering mechanism 46 and the other side of this registering mechanism 46 is connected by a conductor 60 to another 130 arm 61 mechanically connected to the arm 57 but insulated therefrom as indicated at 62 so that the arm 61 will participate in the movement of the arm 57 imparted to the latter by the armature lever 58 as will hereinafter appear.

In the path of the arm 57 is a circuit ter minal 63 and in the path of the arm 61 is another circuit terminal 64. The circuit terminal 63 is connected by a conductor 65 to the conductor 53 and the circuit terminal 64 is connected to the same conductor The system operates on closed circuit and therefore if the current source 48 be a battery it is of the closed circuit type and since closed circuit batteries are feasible for such a system it will be assumed that the current source 48 is a closed circuit battery. Further assuming that the call box 6 has been wound up and that the parts are all in work ing condition then the circuit from the battery 48 may be traced as follows. Leaving the battery by the conductor 53 the circuit is through the conductor 52 to the coils of the magnet 51 thence by conductor 50 to the bell 45, thence by conductor 7 to the distant local station A, thence by conductor 2 through the call box 6 energizing the magnet 26 thereof and thereby holding the call box inactive, thence by the outgoing conductor 2 through the bell 5, which may be of the single stroke type and thereby held inactive by the current, thence through the thermostatic or fusible members 1 and finally to the ground 3, returning to the bat tery through the ground 54. Under these circumstances the system is inactive but ready to respond instantly to either fire or trouble conditions.

Now let it be assumed that a fire takes place and the temperature is sufliciently raised to cause the softening or melting of the fusible cementing material 15 at one or more of the thermostats 1 and also the melting of the pin or piece 14. Under these conditions the spring member 12 will move away from the clip 13 and after a short time interval will again make contact with said clip or the binding post 11. During the short intervalof the rupturing of the circuit at the thermostat or thermostats, the magnet 26 is deenergized and the call box is set in operation in the manner already described, the magnet remaining deenergized thereafter. The relay 51 is also denergized and the armature lever 58 falls away from the arms 57 and 61 and the latter are thereby permitted to move into contact with the circuit terminals 63 and 64. This establishes a circuit from the battery 48 through the conductor 53 to the circuit terminal 63 thence to the arm 57 and through the conductor 56 to the indicator 44 returning by way of the conductor 55 to the battery 48. The indicator 44 being of ordinary type is made to display a visible signal identifying the local station and also the indicator bell will ring. There is also established another circuit from the battery 48 through the conductor 53 to the circuit terminal 64 thence by the arm 61 and conductor 60 to the register 46, returning by the conductor 59 and conductor 55 to the battery 48. This Will cause the actuation of the register to an extent commensurate with the impulse sent. At the same time the magnets of the bell 45 are deenergized but the bell remains inactive since the clapper of the bell simply falls away therefrom. Now the circuit through the conductor 2 is again completed by the movement of the spring member 12 into engagement with the binding post 11 and the relay magnet 51 is again energized thus cutting out the indicator 44 and register 46 and causing an audible signal to be given by the bell 45, but in the meantime the call box disk 21 has moved sufiiciently to bring the brush 28 into one of the notches or recesses 22 so that the completion of the circuit only takes place when the next succeeding tooth of the disk 21 reaches the brush 28. There now follows a succession of-closures and breaks of the circuit agreeing with the notches 22 and intermediate teeth of the disk 21 so that there are caused signals upon the bell 45 and registrations upon the registering member 46, agreeable to the predetermined arrangement of the disk 21. Suppose however that from some accidental cause the cementing material 15 fails to hold the spring finger 12 on the clip 13 when there is no such increase in temperature as would cause the softening or melting of this material. Then the spring finger 12 is arrested by the pin or piece 14 and the circuit remains open. Under these conditions the bell upon the indicator 44, which bell is usually present in such indicators and is designated by the reference numeral 66 in Fig. 1, will continue to ring because of the maintained closure of the circuit through the indicator 44. This will notify the attendant that there is trouble on the line due to a maintained rupturing of the circuit. This ringing of the indicator bell of course takes place when a fire occurs and the temperature is sufficiently raised to melt the cementing material 15 but because of the almost immediate subsequent melting of the pin 14 the signal given on the bell 66 is immediately followed by the fire signal so the attendant knows that fire conditions are present and acts accordingly. Because of the continued break in the conductor 2 due to the accidental rupturing of the cementing material 15, the bell 5 remains silent and the call box 6, though its mechanical parts may operate, will send no signals to the central station. It is only in the case of fire conditions when the finger 12 will move again into contact with the strip 13 or binding post 11 to reestablish the circuit through the conductor 2 that the call boX will send signals to the central station.

IVhile the system has been described as operating with a ground return it will of course be understood that if so desired a return conductor may be used so that the system is of the all metal circuit type. It is also evident that the connections to the spring finger 30 may be other than those described without in any manner affecting the operation of the system.

lVhile the invention has been described as particularly adapted for a fire alarm sysstem it is evident that the invention may be used with other signal systems by providing other means than the fusible cement 15 for holding the spring finger 12 against normal tendency, in which case the thermostatic element or circuit controlling element 1 would not necessarily respond to an abnor mal rise in temperature.

hat is claimed is 1. In an electric signal system, a circuit controlling element normally held in closed circuit position and having a normal tendency to move first to open circuit position and then progressively and rapidly to closed circuit position, and signal controlling means released to initial but inactive operation by the opening of the circuit and then rendered active to cause the signals on the reclosing of the circuit by thecircuit controlling element.

2. In an electric fire alarm system, a

thermostat normally in closed circuit position and having a normal tendency to move first to the open circuit position and then to the closed circuit position, and signal controlling means set into initial but inactive operation by the opening of the circuit and then rendered active to cause the signals on the reclosing of the circuit by the thermostat.

3. In an electric fire alarm system, a thermostat held normally in closed circuit position by an easily fusable material and having a normal tendency to move first to the open circuit position When released and then to the closed circuit position, and signal controlling means set into initial but .inactive operation by the opening of the circuit and then rendered active to cause the signals on the reclosing of the circuit by the thermostat.

4. In an electric signal system, a means for causing si 'nal impulses on a line comprising a mechanically operated circuit breaker actuated to interrupt the circuit a predetermined number of times normally energized electrically operated means for holding the said circuit breaker inactive, and means controlled by the circuit breaker for rendering the electrically operated means inactive on the release and subsequent operation of the said circuit breaker.

5. In an electric signal system, a means for causing signal impulses on a line comprising a mechanically operated circuit breaker actuated to interrupt the circuit a predetermined number of times, a normally charged electromagnet for holding said circuit breaker inactive, and a shunt circuit around the electromagnet established and maintained by the said circuit breaker when released from the control of the electromagnet.

G. In an electric signal system, a means forcausing signal impulses on a line comprising a mechanically operated circuit breaker actuated to interrupt the circuit a predetermined. number of times, a detent for holding said circuit breaker inactive, an electro-magnet for holding the detent to lock the circuit breaker against movement when the magnet is energized, another circuit breaker and means controlled by the first named circuit breaker for causing the shunting of the electro-magnet by the second named circuit breaker on and during the active movement of the said first named circuit breaker.

7. In an electric signal system, a means for causing signal impulses on a line comprising a mechanically operated circuit breaker actuated to interrupt the circuit a predetermined number of times, a normally charged electro-magnet for holding the said circuit breaker inactive, and means controlled by the circuit breaker for excluding the magnet from active relation to the circuit and for also maintaining the circuit after the magnet has been rendered inactive.

8. In an electric signal system, a means for causing signal impulses on a line comprising a circuit breaker adapted to interrupt a circuit, a predetermined number of times, an electromagnet for holding the circuit breaker inactive against the normal tendency to move actively, a shunt circuit around said magnet, circuit terminals in said shunt circuit having a normal tendency to close together, and means carried by the said circuit breaker for causing the separation of the circuit terminals in the shunt circuit when the said circuit breaker is held inactive by the magnet.

9. In an electric signal system, a means for causing signal impulses on a line comprising a circuit breaker adapted to interrupt the circuit a predetermined number of times, an electro-magnet for holding the circuit breaker inactive against the normal tendency to move actively, a shunt circuit around said magnet, circuit terminals in said shunt circuit one of which terminals consists of a spring finger having a normal tendency to close against the other terminal, and means carried by the said circuit breaker for and recording signal means, a relay for coupling the signal means to the source of current and an audible signal, and a distant station electrically connected to the central station and at Which distant station there is a normally closed circuit charged by the central station source of current, a means for producing a predetermined number of impulses upon the line, and means responsive to an abnormal rise of temperature for producing a momentary break in the continuity of the normally closed circuit, said last named means controlling the said means for producing a predetermined number of impulses on the line.

11. In a fire alarm system, a central. station including a source of current, display and recording signal means, a relay for coupling the signal means to the source of current, and an audible signal, and one or more distant stations electrically connected to the central station and at each of which there is a normally closed circuit charged by the central station source of current, a signal controlling means for producing a predetermined number of impulses upon the line and including means for normally holding the signal controlling means inactive and responsive to release the said signal controlling means on a break in the local station circuit, and means responsive to an abnormal rise of temperature for producing a momentary break in the continuity of the normally closed circuit.

12. In a fire alarm system, a central station including a source of current, and display and recording signal means, a relay for coupling the signal means to the source of current, and an audible signal, and one or more distant stations electrically connected to the central station and at each of Which there is a normally closed circuit charged by the central station source of current, a signal controlling means for producing a predetermined number of impulses upon the line, and including means for normally holding the signal circuit inactive and responsive to release the said circuit controlling means on a break in the local station circuit, means responsive to an abnormal rise of temperature for producing a momentary break in the continuity of the normally closed circuit, and an audible signal means at the local station.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own, We have hereto aflixed our slgnatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN E. IN. FOGAL. ARTHUR M. CRICHTON. ARCHIE G. MOVVR-Y. lVitnesses L. M. DUNCAN, HENRY D. FLAcHs. 

